Switch mechanism



June 19, 1945. R. PoPP 2,378,655

SWITCH MEGHANISM Filed April 6, 1942 Patented Je 19,

SWITCH Mechanism` Rudolf Popp, Valparaiso, Ind., assisnor to McGill Manufacturing Company, Valparaiso, Ind., la corporation of Indiana Application April 6, 1942, Serial No. 437,784

(Cl. 'I4-501) 1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to switch mechanisms and in particular to a switch mechanism having an operating lever in a universal connection therewith.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved universal connection.

Another object is to provide a universal connection which is comprised of but few parts having relatively wide machining tolerances and adapted to be positively assembled together with a minimum number of assembly operations.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision of a universal connection in which a tubular lever and connector for attaching the lever to a switch mechanism are positively and simply secured together by pressing a portion of the lever through a corresponding cavity in the connector after the connector has been inserted therein.

Further objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which: f

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a complete switch mechanism embodying the universal connection of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the universal connection as seen along the line 2*-2 in Fis- 1:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the universal connection illustrated in conjunction with an assembly jig therefor, the connector and tubu lar lever being shown in their relative assembly positions;

Fig. 3A is an enlarged side sectional view of the lever, chain and connector mechanism illustratthe jigk structure for relatively positioning the.

connector and lever members.

Referring to the drawing there is shown in Fig. i -a switch mechanism mounted between a pair of insulating plates 5 which are spaced apart by posts 1 extended through the plates and upset at their projecting ends to clamp the plates and hold them in position. A substantially U-shaped mounting member 6 is supported between the plates I and has projections 8 extended through the. plates to retain such member in position therewith. The mounting member t is integrally formed with a collar portion 9 which provides a, fulcrum for a tubular lever II (Figs. 1 and 3).

'Ihe collar portion has an aperture therein for y receiving a reciprocating vactuator member or stem |2 operatively associated with the contact elements (not shown) of the switch mechanism. The stem I2 is moved toward the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3 by the action of a'spring Il, its movements toward the left being manually accomplished by the operation of the lever Il The tubular lever Il has a wall portion of substantially uniform thickness and is composed of a material providing for its machining by a drawing operation.' The lever end Il is formed with an annular axially extending ilange adapted to be received in an annular groove in the collar portion 9 (Figs. 3 and 3A). The opposite end Ito! the lever is open but is curved inwardly to form a shoulder portion Il within the lever for a purpose to be later noted. A substantially U- shaped connector member Il is pivotally connected at one end to the actuating member I 2 and is secured within the lever Il. -The connector comprises a pair of legs 2| land 22 connected together by a loop 22 which extends through an aperture in the member I2 to pivotally connect the actuating member and the connector. The leg 2| is of a contour corresponding to the curvature of the tubular lever II and to balls or beads 24 of a beaded chain 2l (Fig. 2).

In assembling this portion of thev switch mechanism the leg 22v is inserted through the aperture in the actuator member I2 and about three of the beads at the end of the chain 28 indicated as 24o-24e are inserted and retained between the legs 2| and 22. The free end 21 ofthe leg 22 is curved inwardly toward the leg 2| to hold the balls 24a-24o within the connector, the curvature at the leg end 2l corresponding to the curved shoulder Il on the lever |I. The chain 26 is inserted through the lever II at its end I4 and the lever is passed over the chain until the connector I8 is positioned within the lever with the end 21 thereof in mating engagement against the shoulder I1. This engagement occurs concurrently with the location of the lever end I4 within the groove on the collar portion 9.

In some of the prior art switch mechanisms the connector and lever are secured together by providing aligned holes in the lever and the connector. The hole in the lever is threaded and a screw is tightened therein and projected within This construction is the hole in the connector. relaively expensive because of the difilculties encountered in tapping a relatively small holev proper augment of the holes therein. As a rey sult many levers are scrapped and much time is lost in the assembly operation dueto the cut and try selection of a lever and connector in which the holes are in alignment. The manufacturing cost of these prior art universale-connections is further increased by the additional assembly operation required for threading a screw in the lever. Switch mechanisms utilizing universal levers are produced in large quantities so that any small unit saving soon amounts to sizeable proportions.

In the present invention the connector leg 2i is provided with an aperture or hole II. When the connector I! and lever Il are assembled together, as above described, they are placed within a jig structure having a lower half 2l and a mating top portion 8| hinged together for opening. In other words each half portion of the Iig has a contour that fits the shape of the lever and mechanism to half the thickness of the lever. In positioning this assembly of the lever and connector inthe jig portion 29 it is essential that the opening 28 in the connector Il is at the top of the lever ll so as to be located opposite a -hardened bushing 32 in the Jig Portion 3l when such portion is in mating engagement with the jig portion 29, 'From a consideration of Figs. 1 and 3 it is seen that the plane of the loop 23 is normal to the plane of the actuating member I2, which in turn is normalto the parallel planes of the leg members in the mounting member l.

' The. contours of the Jig portions 2i and Il are thus adapted to receive the switch mechanism with the legs of the mounting portion l in a vertical plane, which in turn locates the plane of the loop 2l in a vertical direction. The location of the connector opening 2B at the top of the lever i I is thus positively determined.

In orderto position the lever Ii and connector I8 for relative assembly the iig portion Ilis provided with a spring arm Il secured at one end within the portion 3i and having spaced fingers Il at the free end thereof for straddling a link 31 connecting together adjacent balls of the chain 26 (Figs. 3 and 4). The fingers 34 extend within oppositely arranged cavities 3l and 36 formed in the jig portions 28. and Il, respectively. With the switch mechanism positioned within the jig portion 29, on closing of the portion 3l therewith a ball indicated at 24d located outwardly from the lever Il is in a position to be engaged by the fingers 34 which straddle the ball link l1. The action of the spring arm Il on the ball 24d extends the balls 24e and 24! arranged between the ball 24d and the lever Il to likewise pull on the balls 24a-24e. 'I'hese in turn pull the connector I-l in which they are secured and retain the curved end 21 of the connector I8 against the shoulder portion I1 of the lever Il. As is clearly shown in Fig. 3 the contoured surfaces of the Jig portions 2l and 3| locate the approximate positions of the balls 24d-241 and permit movement of such balls in response to the action of the spring arm Il.

contour of the end II of thepunch 3l it is r apparent that any slight misalignment betwee the bushing I2 andthe opening 28 is campen sated for during the punching operation to locate the lug ll within the opening.

The three balls IIa- 24o are received within the connector Il so that the opening 2l in the connector leg 2l is positionedintermediate the two adJacent balls 2lb and 24c. The lug di, therefore, is extended within the space between the two balls 2lb and llc without interference from such balls in the manner best illustrated in Fig. 3A of the drawing. Thus. the lug di may be engaged by the ball 24e to prevent substantial relative movement between the chain and the connector should the interlock between the curved end 21 of the connector and the ball sda of the chain become' insecure. It is to be un- `.derstood of course that the lever I l may be completely pierced by the punch 38 instead of merely dented thereby to secure the-connector and the lever Il. With the connector and lever Ii thus secured the switch mechanism is removed from between the iig portions 28 and 3i, the relative assembly being maintained by virtue of the engagement of the lug 4l with the connector leg 2 i. It is seen, therefore, that securing screws between Ithe connector I8 and lever` Il are entirely eliminated with their assembly being quickly and positively accomplished by a simple punching operation.

From a consideration of the above description and drawing, therefore, it is seen that the invention provides a universal connectionA in which the component parts may be machined by simple forming operations eliminating all precision work and permitting relatively wide permissible toler ances without in any manner impairing their proper assembly. Labor costs in the machining,r as well as in the assembly of these partsare thus reduced to a minimum to provide a universal connection of rugged construction adapted to be economically produced in large quantities.

Although the invention has been specifically described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof it is -to be understood that modifications and alterations can be made therein which are withinfthe full intended scope of this invention as defined in the appended claim.

Iclaim:

An operating device for a switch mechanism comprising a metallic tubular lever having an .inwardly extending curved portion at one end thereof, a pull chain extending through said one end of said lever and including at least two con1 nected balls disposed within said lever, a connector disposed within said lever to embrace said two balls and having a part at one end thereof interlocked with said chain adjacent said curved end portion of said lever to hold said chain and lever against relative movement, means provided at the opposite end of said connector for con necting said connector in said switch mechanism, said connector having an aperture there@ through overlying the space between said two balls, and said lever having an integral portion extending through said aperture into the space between said two balls to hold said connector and lever in fixed relative positions and to prevent substantial relative movement between said chain and said connector in the event the interlock therebetween fails.

RUDOLF POPP. 

